In Need of a Vacation
by Claire Thorne
Summary: She could see the lightning flash again in his eyes as he spoke, "Because you are my highest priority." AU following "Family Practice".  All mistakes are mine!  This is just the beginning, drama will ensue.
1. Vacation Needed ASAP

**AN: All mistakes are mine!**

_Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. I do NOT own House! _

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**Perception **

The sky sang out into the night. The clouds began to dance as the lightning electrified them. The rain was falling freely from the sky, landing on random objects – cars. _Tink, tink, tink_. Like music. It is hard not to enjoy the show just as it is hard not to be involved.

A drop fell on her cheek as she exited the hospital's front door, involving her in the performance. She was drenched in a matter of seconds – her hair dripping wet and her clothes a shade darker than before the storm. Lightning ignited against the shadows, and her eyes followed a strand across a vast cloud as it turned into the veins of the sky. Cuddy's mind erupted in thought as her medical mind turned to her mother. The tears that fell from her eyes mixed with the rain, almost like the heavens were crying with her.

"This is only going to make you sick." His voice sounded in the back of her head, but she didn't turn. A man displaced the rain falling behind her. She felt his arms rap around her soaking frame.

The heat radiating from him was too much to resist. Cuddy turned into his embrace, "Hum."

"Saw your shoes." House whispered against her hair as he began to slowly rock her with the sound of the pulsing thunder. She rubbed her bare foot against his and realized he was without shoes. Looking over his shoulder, she saw his shoes next to hers and his cane resting on the door handle.

_How is it that he could be such a man, one that blankets me in comfort when I need it most, and a man that can send me off the deep end?_ Her wheels were turning, and turning. Her thoughts then drifted to the fact that because of him, her mother was alive. Not only that but cured. He had saved her mother and had saved her from making a huge mistake. House had forced her to confront a woman, one that she had been rebelling from her whole life. There was love there, but as her mother had said, "I like your sister more." That's what she really wanted from her mother – to be liked. Being loved equally wasn't enough.

"Eh-hem. I believe there was a wise woman that once said…" Cuddy interrupted him, just as he had interrupted her thoughts, knowing exactly where he was going.

"Why do you have over analyze things to death….why can't this just be nice…" She half smiled at him, knowing she was struggling to find a way to thank him for what he had done.

House smiled back, it was that cocky half smile, "Do you know her?"

"Greg…thank you. I can't think of anything else…" She looked away from his eyes, trying to recover the thought she had just lost.

"It's family, Cuddy. Anyone with the last name Cuddy – I'm willing to pay the price." Cuddy wasn't used to this from him. And he was serious. There was not cocky half-smile hidden in the depths of his eyes. She could see the lightning flash again in his eyes as he spoke, "Because you are my highest priority."

The tears were flowing freely now and all she could think was, _thank god for the rain_. She was seeing a different side of the man she loved. The thought that he was this caring and was no longer afraid to tell her did little to help the tear situation. His eyes smiled at her – he finally trusted her. Trusted her enough to freak out, enough to tell her what he was feeling, and enough to consider her family his.

If she wasn't already head over heels for him, she now was – without a doubt. Her hand met his cheek, rubbing her thumb against his cheekbone. On her tiptoes, she kissed his lightly. He met her kiss, showing her that it was true. She pulled away slightly, just barely touching his lips with her own. "Thank you…I wish there were more I could say."

He reached down and grabbed her ass, "I'm game for 'thank you' sex."

Cuddy laughed, "I need a vacation."

"You know, I have been meaning to ask you about that."

She cocked an eyebrow, not knowing what he was talking about.

"Mont Saint Michel. You said to give you two weeks, which I took to mean a few months. So I'm now demanding we go."

Cuddy smiled widely, remembering that night spent on his bed just talking. He knew her, and she certainly liked that fact right this second. The moment her mind started connecting the dots and the worry began to kick in, she stepped into his embrace, "What about Rachael?"

"I already talked to your sister. And before you start talking about not wanting to make your sister watch your rugrat, she offered."

She sighed, "I really hate asking her to watch Rachael, when she already has three kids terrorizing her house."

He laughed, knowing the destruction that Rachael can cause in two minutes unsupervised, "If you prefer, we can always bring her with. I just wanted this to be a stress free vacation." House paused for a second, letting her digest the proposition, "It's only a week."

"It sounds like you've got this pretty well planned out."

The smile that enveloped his face was one she loved, "You know me – I'm a schemer."

Cuddy rolled her eyes, "Understatement."

The wind blew against her back, causing her to shiver, "Your cold."

"Oh yeah, how'd you figure that one out?" He looked down at her chest pressed against his and smiled.

_Beep, beep, beeeeeeeeep. _She felt his beeper go off and waited patiently as he looked at it, "You're mom's out of surgery."

He saw the heavy burden return to her shoulders the moment he mentioned Arlene, "I should go see her before we go home." House nodded, running his hand over her back.

They parted and help each other back into the hospital. He watched as she headed for the elevators, leaving him and her shoes. Limping to her office with their shoes in hand, he thought of the woman he just brought inside. He thought back to that dance they had shared, where he had finally come clean about his encounter with her in med school. They could have been married, with children and a house. White picked-fence and everything. He would probably be a better man. "'You make me better and I hope I make you better.'" But that would have been common and as she herself had said, common is boring. It's common. They weren't at all common. His antics and her controlling ambition – they were quite the pair.

The light was on in the bathroom as he entered and grabbed a towel. He looked into the mirror and dried his hair quickly. House continued to stare at himself, making a silent promise to never allow their relationship to be common, or boring. That promise included never hurting her, or Rachael.

He didn't notice her behind him until her hands reached for the towel in his. It shook him from his thoughts, "How is she?"

"She's still out." The worry she was feeling was etched in her facial features. Turning to face her, he helped dry her face.

House had successfully gotten all of the makeup off her cheeks from the rain, "Hey, don't worry about your mom. I've got one of my team members on it. She won't be left alone."

"You know she was only telling the truth. Something we should all be doing more." Her voice was quiet, like someone might be listening. Probably fear from the last time Masters had walked in on them talking.

"I'm not punishing her. Okay…maybe a little bit." He shrugged, "She volunteered."

"HA! I doubt that very much." She threw the towel on the vanity, knowing there was no point in trying to dry off any more.

"Just trust me…and don't worry. Plus, Chase will be there – he's been assigned babysitter for the evening."

Cuddy laughed, "Well, that puts my mind at ease." She walked to her desk and grabbed her bag. Debating on whether or not she should bring work home, House began to whistle impatiently at the door. The MacBook on her desk was saying 'yes', but her mind was saying 'no'. She closed it and moved swiftly to the man waiting for her, abandoning her laptop.

Once she reached his side, he handed her the shoes that had remained unaffected by the rainstorm. "You should be more worried about your little girl completely demolishing your house."

She linked her fingers with his as the walked to elevators, "She only does that when you're home." House looked at her with questioning eyes that turned sarcastic when she said, "You know why, don't you?"

"Because she wants me to trip and fall, break my good leg and become as close to the ground as she is…" Cuddy rolled her eyes.

"Well, if that means you pay more attention to her – then yes." She squeezed his hand gently, trying to combat his sarcasm with honesty.

He looked up at the top of the elevator, "Great, that little scheming bit…."

"House!" Cuddy cut him off before he could finish the word.

"Joking about the bee-with-an-itch part, not about the scheming part. Sorry, guess I'm not the best example."

She stopped him as they exited the elevator, putting her hand on his chest, "Scheming, really? Being a good parent isn't about being the perfect example."

He cocked an eyebrow, "Parent?"

Taking the hand off his chest and running her hand up and down his arm, she spoke quietly, "I want you to be and I'm pretty sure she does too."

His mouth fell open at her honesty, "You must be crazy. That or I'm hallucinating this whole thing."

Cuddy brought her hand to his scruffy cheek, running her thumb over his cheekbone, "I am crazy." She brought her lips to his, brushing them against his gingerly.

House pulled her close, kissing her deeply in plain sight of the entire parking garage. He smiled as he kissed her, remembering when she talked about this stuff stopping at the threshold of the parking garage. _So much for that_, he thought.

She broke their kiss, took his hand, and began pulling him to her car. The ride home was quiet. It was a comforting silence, one that they shared without awkwardness.

Their relationship had changed him, by his own choice of course, but changed him even so. They were two obdurate people in a relationship that was ever changing – stubborn people evolving. It seemed impossible, even to his brilliant mind. It was like a math problem with no solution or a jigsaw with pieces that didn't fit together. But it all came together somehow. The solution the math problem was that there was no solution, and the chaotic pieces scattered across the floor were their own picture. The mystery was in the "somehow" part. It was all based on perception, not fact. Something he found unsettling.

Perception.

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**AN: This is my first Huddy fic! Please R&R!**


	2. Detour

**A/N - First of all, I want to say thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read and review! Your comments really did help me get this chapter down on paper, especially after the last two episodes of House. Also, huge thanks go out to McGonagallFan for her undying support and advice! **

_Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. I do NOT own House! _

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**Detour**

Love. Oh, the great deception that love is to the innocent soul. It hides behind a cunning mask, ensnaring the gullible to descend into darkness. Like a waterfall, it brings those naive sorts closer and closer until they are too far gone to escape. They plummet, gaining ridiculous speed as they near the rocks below. Where's love? Where is that mythical poison? Love can't snatch a falling rock, let alone a person, and hitting those rocks below would mean either instant death, or a pain so exquisite that death itself would be the only relief. The trick with love is not to believe in it as an ideal, but to believe in the person with which you love. Once you fall there's only one thing that can save you from those rocks below – the one you love. She was the one he loved.

They're relationship didn't seem possible, but somehow it was and he was going to focus on that. He knew that for too long he had taken advantage of her – pushing her to the utter limits of her patience. The antics that made him who he was would never go away, but he knew she needed more from him. After all, she deserved a man that care

She was still crazy, but he was insane. They were two peas in a pod.

The brakes from the car ahead of them squeaked as it stopped short. He had hoped that they would miss the evening traffic, but alas, they were surrounded by a red sea of taillights distorted by the raindrops on the windshield.

Cuddy's shoulders were hunched forward, and her eyes were tired. House could see the heavy weights on her eyelids, trying to force them to close. Reaching down, he turned on the A/C. He knew she was still soaked, but he didn't want her to fall asleep.

"House, are you really that hot?" She was sitting up straighter, her eyes focused.

"Oh yeah, baby." He saw the goosebumps on her arms and decided to give her the honest answer, "I don't want you to fall asleep."

She frowned, but knew he had a point. Getting over two lanes, she exited the highway. It was about five short minutes until they reached her house. The ignition shut off as her head fell back and hit the headrest. Her eyes were shut and her breathing deep and slow.

"Lisa?" His hand caressed her cheek with a touch of sincerity. The shiver that ran up her spine was felt by his gentle contact. He unbuckled his seat belt and leaned over, touching his lips to hers for a brief tender moment, "We're almost there, just got to get you past the threshold."

A smile spread over her entire face at his mention of 'threshold'. "Help me?"

House let out a huffy laugh, "You're asking a cripple to help you out of a car…this ought to be interesting."

The latch shut on his side as he exited her car, cane in hand. Pulling on the handle to her door, it opened, "Thought you liked interesting?"

"Interesting, yes…both of us falling on our asses, no. Though yours would take a brunt of the impact, due to it's immense size." For some reason she never seemed to take his 'big ass' insults very well, or at least the way he intended.

"Yeah, yeah…would you just give me a hand, please?" He took her hand with a sarcastic, chivalrous look in his eye.

Her shoes were still missing from her feet, although he didn't blame her for leaving them behind. From the feel of it, he was supporting most of her weight. "You know, I really like your ass."

A chuckle filled the air, "Was I supposed to surmise that from the insults you throw at me at least twice a day about it?"

Her arm was slung over his shoulder, and his hand was wrap protectively around her waist. Most of his concentration was on his balance, keeping the weight off his bad leg and leaving Cuddy with as little work as possible. He got his footing right and continued their conversation, being honest, "My way of showing affection – insults and sarcasm."

Cuddy sighed as they reached the door, "I know." The key slid into the lock and she turned it, releasing the lock. Pushing the door open, she took a step inside the door before he could move with her. Her knee gave way as she began a rapid decent to the floor. House put all of his weight on his good leg, let go of his cane, and reached for her sides. Locking his grip on her before she could hit the ground.

"How the hell did we even make it this far?" The question surrounded her as she realized that she hadn't hit the floor.

He lifted her up carefully, pulling her arm back around his shoulders. His cane lay alone on the ground outside the door as House swept her off her feet into his arms.

There were footsteps quickly approaching them, "Dr. Cuddy?"

"We're alright, I'm just going to go lay her down. I'll be right back." House's voice was hushed as he spoke to Marina.

The pain in his leg was beginning to ebb at his conscious mind, telling him to put her down and stop being stupid. Ignoring it now was easy, but when she was asleep and he was alone with himself that was a different story.

The door to her bedroom was open. He turned sideways to avoid having her hit the door frame. Walking by the bed frame, his foot caught on the wooden leg, "Dammit!"

His curse echoed around the walls of the room as he stopped and closed his eyes shut, willing himself to ignore the shooting pain running through his foot and up the thigh of his good leg. "Are you okay?"

"I'll live, just stubbed my damn toe." He felt a hand on his face, her body move, and her lips on his. He pulled her closer to his body, and, in turn, his mouth. The passion of their kiss increased. As he pulled away, he placed a kiss on her cheek and laid her down on the soft mattress.

"Better?" Her voice was sleepy and sexy – it certainly turned him on.

He smiled at her, but his brow furrowed and his smile faded as he began to talk, "I'm always better with you."

The control that she had over herself was beginning to die away as she smiled up at him and her eyes took on water. The flowed down her cheeks, creating small streams down her face. Like a god, he erased them from the surface, leaving the canvas of her face dry of any tears.

"Happy tears?" His voice filled with concern.

She shivered again, "I wouldn't be smiling if they weren't."

House smiled and pulled the blankets over her, "I'll be right back."

He left the room and returned in a matter of seconds. "House?"

"Yeah, Cuddles."

Her teeth were chattering when he joined her side, "I can't sleep…I think it might have something to do with the fact that I'm still in my drenched work clothes."

"Not my fault you decided to participate in a wet t-shirt contest." He said with a wide grin on his face.

She smirked at him, "Your just mad because you showed up late."

House playfully kissed her and then stood. He headed to the closet and then to the bathroom, returning with a set of pajamas and a towel. Cuddy sat up and began reaching for the clothes he had brought to her, but he stopped her. With the towel in hand, he squeezed each raven curl of her head. Satisfied with his handy work, he looked into her eyes as he began slowly removing the thin belt from around her waist. He laid it across his lap and moved to her blouse. He peeled the blue material off her body and over her head as she lifted her arms.

The blue of his eyes never left the ocean of hers as he unclasped her bra, trying to show her the respect that she deserved. There was not a hint of sarcasm with this chivalrous act. Sliding the dry top over her head and into place, House continued to stare into her eyes. The zipper of her skirt was thankfully on the side, which he found fairly quickly and pulled down in a fluid motion. She put her hands on the mattress and lifted her hips, making it easier to remove. Maneuvering it down her long legs and off, he added it to the pile on his lap. He disposed of her panties just as skillfully and replaced them with a dry pair.

"Shorts or sweat pants?" No jokes or jabs, just a simple question.

"Pants." The corners of his mouth turned up in a smile.

Guiding her feet into the holes, he pulled them up and secured the drawstring around her hips. She looked down at the garment he had just placed on her, not recognizing them.

"These aren't mine."

He was still smiling, "They're mine. I couldn't find your hidden sweat pant's drawer."

She laughed, "Yeah, that drawer is one of my only secrets. You'll never find it."

Cuddy slid back into the warmth of their bed, snuggled up against her pillow. He was about to crawl in next to her when the sound of Rachel's breathing sounded in his ears, thanks to the baby monitor. The lesser Cuddy was alive and breathing, but even so, he knew that Cuddy would have checked on her before going to bed.

"Parent, eh?" He said to himself as he left the room to check on the little terrorist.

Peaking through the cracked door, he could see her small form nuzzled up with some kind of furry stuffed lump. He smiled and ambled to her bedside. Though Rachel was adopted, she really did look like Cuddy. He usually called her the lesser Cuddy, but he meant it literally, that she smaller than the actual-size Lisa Cuddy. Though everyone probably thought he was being an ass like usual, Cuddy knew the truth. This kept everyone at work thinking he was an ass and Cuddy happy. Win win.

House ran his hand over her little back, as he leaned down and kissed her forehead, hoping that was the right thing to do. She didn't stir as he pulled away awkwardly. Both his Cuddy women were tired.

He gimped back to join Cuddy, when a massive bolt of lightning lit up hall. The thunder that followed shortly after shook the whole house. It was like the storm was trying to defibrillate the Cuddy household. It had certainly sped up his heart rate.

House quickened his pace back to their bedroom to check on the woman that made him better. She was sound asleep.

The pitter-patter of small feet caught his attention as he hurried putting his pajamas on, knowing Rachel was on her way to their bedroom.

Sure enough, the little tike was standing in the doorway, with frightened eyes. "You okay?" He whispered in a gently voice, trying not to scare her.

"Scary tunder." Nervousness spread through his body, as she stared at him, looking for solace. The sky tried again to revive the _entire_ household, shortly followed by the 'scary tunder'. Rachel jumped and ran to his side, hugging his leg. "Don't let it get me."

Her face was buried in his thigh, thankfully his left thigh. He sighed, not being able to resist her plea.

He pulled her up into his arms and held her tightly. The arms belonging to the lesser Cuddy, wrapped around his neck in a choke hold. She was trembling, "It's alright…uh, I won't let it get you."

Unsure of what he was doing, he set her down and climbed into bed, and then lifted the covers for her to climb in. She had slept with them before, but she was normally on Cuddy's side, far away from him.

Rachel didn't hesitate as she jumped under the blankets and snuggled up to his chest. He nervously put his arm around her, still hoping that he was doing the right thing.

The heart in his chest, the one that was seven times too small, began to beat faster as she put a small arm around his side, giving him the best hug she could.

His pulse slowed as he calmed down, following both is girls to sleep.

House woke up with a wet body next to him. He opened his tired eyes and blinked several times, and then looked down at the culprit. The little kid snuggled to his side was to blame. Running his hand against her forehead, he made a mental note that she had a high fever

His concern rose to a DEFCON two at the sight of the child. Turning his upper body and head toward the woman sleeping next to him, he spoke softly, "Lisa…"

She took in a quick breath and opened one eye after a moment, "Hum?"

Looking into his eye for a mere second, she saw that something was wrong. He turned back to his side of the bed. Cuddy sat up and looked over his shoulder. She was instantly in worry mode as she saw her child there covered in sweat.

"She's got a high fever." House whispered as he turned back to face her.

Cuddy wasn't looking at him anymore, and her eyes widened as he felt the Rachel begin to shake violently in his arms, "Oh my god, House."

The words left her lips and he flew around, "She's seizing."

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**Hope you all enjoyed! Please R&R!  
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	3. A Tilting 30 Minutes

**_3:30 AM_**

The world was beginning to tilt and break apart, collapsing around her. With every incremental shift in degree she skated closer to the jagged edge of her now crumbling world. It was literally breaking in half, like the Titanic sinking into the ocean. Her survival instinct kicked in and all she could see was that edge and the clear path ahead. Sliding along the angled surface, she felt her need for control exponentially elevate from neediness to obsession. There was nothing stopping her from falling off it. It was all just a figment now – her control, her life, her fantasy.

An alarm began going off in her head. With each obnoxious sounding, that alarm in her head became further saturated with hidden doubts and fears. A whisper floated through the air. It was once crisp and clear as a summer breeze, but had now turned into an expressionless jumble of words, muffled by the screeching siren.

"Cuddy?" His question was an indistinct whisper.

_Your daughter is sick, your mother is recovering major surgery, and your boyfriend is forever screwed up._

"Cuddy, she's seizing." She could hear the words, but they were still incoherent.

_He was right all along – you're a terrible mother._

"Help me." Her brain was frozen, not processing any of his words.

_You're a failure._

She felt a hand grip her shoulder, after a second she felt the familiarity of it. It shook her, "Wake up."

Closing her eyes tight she tried to shut the alarm off in her head. Reaching in every direction to find that blasted snooze button, she failed to find it as it uttered another howl. Y_ou'll lose them all._

"Lisa, come back to me." This whisper was closer than before, cutting straight through her. Beating out her doubts and fears for just a brief moment, and giving her the strength to face the darkness.

Cuddy opened her eyes quickly, trying to rip her fears away like a band-aid. The water that had begun to spill from her eyes was obstructing her vision, and the room was still dark, leaving her observations to chance. Grasping at hope, she calmed herself thinking that it could simply be the fever causing the seizure. Nothing more than a febrile seizure, unadorned and harmless, but then her worry got the better of her and Epilepsy began flashing in neon lights, blinding her. The world flipped upside down and yet the rush that often comes with being in a free fall avoided her.

"Give me a hand?" House had Rachel on her back and was checking her breathing.

Cuddy finally found the courage to drag her body from its paralyzed state and hurried to his side of the bed. The doctor in her was petrified. She tried to detach the thoughts that were passing through her mind, but the mother in her couldn't help it. Just like the daughter in her couldn't help it when she tried to help treat her mother. She wondered why all of this was happening to her now – her mother and now her daughter, in a matter of days.

The tears began to fall more freely now. The overwhelming feeling of the sick child in front of her, her sick child, was almost more than she could handle.

Rachel continued to seize for another five minutes and Cuddy couldn't stop the tears anymore than she could stop her child from convulsing.

"We need to cool her down, do you have any ice packs?" House looked up at her and saw the tears coursing down her face, like someone had just blown the dam.

Wiping her face clean of any evidence, she nodded.

Taking one hand from Rachel's shoulder, House reached out and cupped Cuddy's cheek, "Don't worry. I'll figure this out, okay? Remember what I said – you're my highest priority, which means she is too."

"Yes…" She looked down at her baby and felt fear. It swallowed her heart whole, ensnaring her in endless uncertainty.

She felt a finger under her chin as he lifted her face back to his, "Oh ye, of little faith."

Cuddy didn't deny it, but merely stared at him. He could see everything right now – her face was an open book. Her emotions were as well written as any he had ever seen, not difficult to discern, or interpret, yet complex and beautiful. Regret for letting him know that she questioned his ability, a huge amount of fear, and vulnerability. He could tell that she wasn't completely in control.

House knew he needed to give her something to do, something that would offer her a semblance of sway over the events unfolding before her, "Ice pack?"

She focused on just that task as she moved to the bathroom, bringing back a first aid kit. Her hands shook as she opened it, leaving him with little suspicion that she was truly afraid.

The ice packs were obnoxiously difficult to activate. She struggled for a moment, but then let out her frustration on the small pouch. The cold compress froze in her hand.

"Here's one." Her face was focused and determined, which was a hell of a lot better than distracted and fear stricken. _Those poor ice packs_, he thought as she crushed another one. It was working though, her book had shut and she was fighting back at the suspicion that threatened to engulf her.

"Welcome back." He smiled up at her, not meaning it as an insult.

The puzzled look on her face faded as she contemplated his words, "Thank you." She smashed another cold compress and handed it to him.

He was lining Rachel's body with them, "Eh, what are good-for-nothing boyfriends for?"

She frowned, "If you were good-for-nothing, you would have bolted as soon as she crawled into bed with you last night."

A disappointed look spread across his face, "Damn, my cover's blown."

"You're cover was blown a long time ago." She said with little conviction as her attention turned back to Rachel.

Taking her little hand, Cuddy tried to will Rachel to wake up. When the child remained silent, Cuddy looked back up at House, searching for answers. "It could be any number of things, but it looks like the seizure was set off by the fever."

"I agree." She whispered feebly.

He tilted his head, "So, we're going to do the DDX here?"

Cuddy nodded, "I would prefer not to move her until she wakes up."

House knew she was right, so he continued, "Okay, well my first thought would be a febrile seizure caused by some kind of infection. It really could be any number of infection though, and until we get rid of the infection she will continue to run a fever and possibly have another seizure." He pulled a thermometer out of the kit at Cuddy's side, and checked Rachel's temperature, "102."

"God."

"God isn't going to help her now – ibuprofen will on the other hand." Cuddy tried to be annoyed with his statement, but he was right.

Thankfully there were pills in the first aid kit, "Two?"

"Rectally." His finger flew to his nose at the speed of light, "Not it."

"How old are you again? Five?" She was annoyed at his childishness.

"How old are you, six? You're her mother, therefore the pill's in your court."

Cuddy rolled her eyes, "Would you just roll her over?"

Her frustration faded, as she watched his gentle hands. The realization hit her just as soon as her little girl was on her side – he was trying to distract her. He was the one keeping from falling. His subtle jokes, and teasing were on purpose. This wasn't a game to him anymore. He was finished playing around. She could see it all over his face as he stared at Rachel.

Why she had a rectal suppository of ibuprofen was kind of beyond him, but then again she was would be prepared for anything and everything. She administered the ibuprofen quickly and without any further mockery from House. He laid her back down softly on the bed. "Now what?"

"I'll get my phone call."

Looking around the room for his pants, he located them near the closet. The bulge in the pocket of his jeans housed his cell phone. He extracted it and moved to the hall, making a quick call to Chase.

She listened with curiosity, knowing he was either calling Wilson or his team.

"We've got a case."

_His team._

"Mistress's house – like now."

_Mistress – god._

"Leave the nark."

_Chase._

House walked in and threw his phone back near his jeans. She looked at him as he came up beside Rachel, "Thank you."

The concerned, gentle boyfriend was different and strange, but he played it off well. His quips and banter were so often used to cut her, but now they were being used as actual distractions. She didn't know what else to say, other than thank you. His diversions were needed. He nodded in understanding.

For some reason his penlight was on the nightstand, but not asking questions as to why it was there he picked it up. Pulling the lid up on Rachel's right eye, he checked her pupil responsiveness.

"Her pupil's are responding normally."

"What can I do?" He looked up to see her becoming weary again.

"Relax. Go lay down, or shower. I need you to stay healthy – can't have all three Cuddy women sick." The half smile that stuck to his face, helped put her mind at ease, "I won't survive that – no one will."

But her body didn't want to move – it wasn't the only one.

"Stop worrying, mom. I _do_ know a thing or two about playing doctor."

"It's not that." She looked away from his face, "I can't leave her."

"Leave her by taking a shower? Cuddy, I'm not going to get up and leave as soon as you shut the bathroom door." His voice was slightly hurt, but he accepted the fact that she didn't completely trust him.

"I know. I'm not afraid to leave her with you, I'm just afraid to leave her. What if something happens when I'm gone?" He could see the worry lines spreading across her face as the words left her lips.

"Then I'll take care of her. I am taking care of her." She sighed, "You know you could have taken a shower and been back in that spot in the time that we've spent talking about this."

Standing up from the rubble, she was determined to take a quick shower and be back by her daughter's side as fast as possible.

Cuddy made it to the bathroom door, hearing House call out to her, "Trust me?"

"Not for a second." A sweet smile spread across her face as she shut the door.

It faded ever so slightly as she quickly stripped her clothes. The spray of the hot water on her back brought a soothing sensation to her crippled nerves. Speedily mending them, giving her some sense of recovery.

**_4:00 AM_**

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**AN: Once again, I suck at updating stories. I found this on my mysterious hard drive that likes to eat all my stories. Please review and hopefully no more stories will get eaten by my computer! :)**


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